Iron responsive protein-2 is associated with lung function and disease progression in COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease with its incidence and phenotype incompletely explained by lifestyle, environmental insult and genetic predisposition. Iron responsive protein-2 (IRP2) is the protein product of IREB2 gene, which is a COPD susceptibility gene that regulates cellular iron homeostasis. Previous research indicates that IREB2 expression in lung tissue is associated with spirometric values and emphysema in COPD. In the past, IREB2 variants have been inconsistently associated with COPD pathogenesis.